


Daily Espresso

by Arrowsfired



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Angst, F/M, Grant Ward is angry, I Will Go Down With This Ship, No one knows why, Skye is such a nerd, Skyeward - Freeform, too much angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-08-30 19:58:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8547073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arrowsfired/pseuds/Arrowsfired
Summary: Ward is a spy, just trying to find his contact.Skye is a barista at a coffee shop in Chicago.They get into more trouble than one would have thought possible, and all within the span of a week.Coffee shop/spy AU





	1. Day 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my first fics, let me know what you think!  
> Thanks so much for reading!

Agent Ward was having a decidedly terrible day. After being undercover for months, it was finally time to meet with his correspondent, but all they told him was some nerdy code word and that they were in some coffee shop in Chicago.

Chicago.

Chicago was not a small city, and for the past week he had been to eight coffee shops, but with no luck.

Well, some luck. He’d received an anonymous one way text from his boss telling him the correct coffee shop. Of course, after he had already been searching for days.

He glanced at his watch, 11:27 am. He walked down the crowded street, weaving in between people until he could see the bright red sign he’d been searching for.

Bert’s Coffee House, Ward scoffed to himself as he walked through the doors. What hipster shit.

The strong scent of coffee greeted him as he noted every person in the room. Three college age kids studying vigorously at a table in the back, one couple at another table, one middle aged man working on a laptop at the table closest to him, and two people behind the counter, an older looking man, probably Bert, and a young woman, _probably my contact._

“Welcome to Bert’s, I’m Skye, what can I get for you today?” she responded with an exaggerated smile.

_Skye_ , he sneered. _That might be the worst undercover name I’ve ever heard._

“Hi, I’ll have a 16 ounce cup, black, no cream, no sugar,” Ward pulled out some cash, almost knocking his handgun out of his belt in the process. He stuttered in surprise and the girl laughed a bit.

“Usually black coffee means no sugar or cream,” Skye typed into the computer, taking his cash and popping open the register. “I do appreciate the thoroughness though.”

Ward watched as she pulled out his change, then ran through the callsign in his head one more time.

“Come at once, if convenient,” Ward muttered under his breath, just barely loud for her to hear.

“If inconvenient, come anyways,” Skye looked up at Ward with excitement. Ward started to tense- was this his contact? She’d said it properly and-

“I love Sherlock! Did you see the Christmas special they made? It was amazing!” Skye blurted out, handing Ward his change as another young man walked up to her behind the counter.

Damn it.This was not his contact. That was really cute though.

Skye’s coworker tapped her on the shoulder as she continued on about Sherlock, making her pause to glance at him before realizing her he was there to take over. She nodded, taking off her apron, and looked back to Ward before handing him his coffee.

“Wait right here for a moment,” she commanded before running off into the back room of the store.

Ward stood still for a moment, not quite sure what to do. He was pretty sure the new cashier wasn’t his contact, the kid looked 17 at the oldest. Before he could take his coffee and leave, Skye dashed out of the backroom with a travel mug and a shoulder bag.

“C’mon,” she said as she grabbed his hand and led him to a seat at one of the empty tables. Ward followed her, awestruck, as she sat down across from him and pulled a macbook absolutely covered in stickers out of her bag. She opened the lid, typing a bit with the screen facing away from him, before turning it so the both of them could see.

“So you said you haven’t seen the Christmas special, right?” Skye looked at him with big eyes, expectantly.

“I, uh, no. I haven’t,” Ward wasn’t quite sure what to say. He decided he would go ahead and stay, he still had to wait here until his contact showed up anyways.

He settled into his chair as Skye clicked the play button, sitting back into her seat and sipping from her Captain America travel mug.  
Ward glanced over at her, she seemed enthralled with the show, and couldn’t help but notice how delicate her features were. He snapped back to the screen, he would have to come back to the coffee shop again tomorrow, but for now, he supposed, he had time to just sit and enjoy his coffee.

“Hey, so what’s your name?” Skye kept looking at the screen, still trying to pay attention to the show.

“Ward,” he kicked himself for saying his real name, but it was too late now. “Grant Ward.”

Skye looked at Grant with eyes that pierced through him, her features softened by the glow of the computer. “Nice to meet you, Grant.”


	2. Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ward gets more flustered than thought possible and Skye makes him order a girly drink.

Today, Ward thought to himself, was decidedly more dreary than the day before. Before he had left the coffee shop the day before, his contact had found him and he was able to leave this undercover job behind him, but for some reason he found himself wanting to stay in Chicago for a little bit longer.

Grant anxiously opened the door to Bert’s, worrying Skye might not be working today. To his delight, she was right there behind the counter, as she had been the day before, and she noticed him immediately.

“Grant! Hey, Grant,” Skye shouted much too loud from across the cafe.

“Hey Skye,” Ward said as he walked up to the counter, his wallet in his hand.

“You’re not quite a regular yet, but do you just want another black 16 ounce coffee, or are you feeling a little adventurous today?” teased Skye as Ward shuffled a bit, trying to appear confident,  _ and probably failing _ . 

“Let’s try adventurous,” Ward’s voice raising a bit at the end, prompting Skye to giggle a bit.

“Alright then, Mr. Grant Ward, I’ll ring you up one blended icy caramel mocha macchiato,” Ward looked at her, then back at the menu, then back at Skye in shock. “Don’t worry, I won’t make you pay for it. This one’s on me.”

“You don’t have to do that, I can-” Ward protested, but to no avail.

“Nope, I’m not hearing it,” Skye smirked as she typed in her employee PIN and rang him up. “Roger will have that right out for you, Grant.”

Ward smiled at her, her good mood seeming to be infectious. He couldn’t figure out exactly what it was about her, but Skye made him feel normal for the first time in a long time.  _ We’ll see how long that lasts. _

“Hey, if you wait 10 minutes I can sit with you,” Skye suddenly looked down a little, unsure of herself. “I mean, if you want to.”

“Y-yes! I mean, that’d be great, that’d be nice, yeah,” stuttering all over himself. Skye let out a chuckle.

“Alright, I’ll see you then, Ward,” Skye hustled off, restocking some coffee beans for the machine. 

Grant Ward was not one to get flustered easily, and he was mortified to find some random barista had thrown him off just by asking him if he wanted to sit with her.  _ Jesus, it’s like I’m in middle school. _

After taking his coffee from the new person behind the counter, he sat down in one of the plush chairs by the window. The coffee shop was decidedly quirky, now that Ward decided to take a better look at it. There were pop culture posters lining every wall, with little fairy lights around the windows and lots of throw blankets and pillows. Ward certainly felt out of place, this was where young college students went to study, not where a 27 year old agent for a secret organization would usually hang out. 

The rustic feel of the place was so foreign to Grant he started to relax a bit before Skye came sauntering towards him, laptop under one arm and her own coffee in hand. 

“Hey, Mr. Robot,” Skye smirked, plopping herself unceremoniously in the armchair next to him.

“Mr. Robot?” Ward cocked an eyebrow at her, taking a sip of his horribly-too-sweet coffee.

“Yeah, you just sat here and did nothing for, like, ten minutes.”

“Maybe I just wanted to look around, be with my thoughts,” Grant retorted, trying to smirk and play along, but again, probably failing.

“Oh, should I leave, then?” Skye joked, feigning getting up from her seat. “Leave you and your thoughts for some alone time?”

Grant smiled, looking up at her and locking eyes before watching her sit back down. 

“So tell me about you, Grant Ward, all I know is that you say weird references to baristas and seem to only wear all black,” Skye returned his smile and sipped her coffee, which Ward suspected was also horribly sweet. 

“There’s not much to tell, ask away,” Grant understood the risk in letting her ask anything, but he had tricked even the best lie detectors, he could make it past a barista.

“Where do you work?” Innocent enough, but the real answer would send her running for sure.

“I work in sales at-” Grant was cut off by Skye’s sudden outburst of a laugh.

“Yeah, okay, and I’m a secret spy,” Grant immediately became flustered.  _ How did she see through me so easily? _ “Listen, if you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to.”

“It’s just kind of complicated, I guess,” Ward glanced at his hands,  _ it’s closer to the truth, I suppose. _

“Well we’re all a little complicated, aren’t we?” Skye brushed off his anxious look.

Ward chuckled a little bit.  _ She has no idea. _

“Well, I hate to be blunt but can I have your number?” Skye asked innocently enough, reaching to hand him her phone with an open contact, but Ward’s head snapped up like he had heard a gunshot.

“Um, I-” Ward needed to think this through. He didn’t have a non-work phone right now. He had the disposable in one pocket and his company phone in the other. 

_ Screw it. _

“Yeah, that sounds great,” Ward smiled, instantly kicking himself. He typed the phone number of the disposable phone in, deciding he would finally follow Garrett’s advice and get a personal phone, then just give her the new number.

“Great! Thanks, I mean- yeah, cool,” Skye tried to catch herself, only ending up making herself more embarrassed and blushing a rich pink. Ward couldn’t help but smile at her.

“Drinks?” Ward was quite nonchalant, but this time it was Skye’s turn to be surprised.

“What?” Grant was glad he had gotten his composure back, this seemed to catch her off guard.

“Do you want to grab a drink tomorrow night?” Ward smirked, trying to play it off as no big deal.

“Yeah, that- that sounds really nice,” Skye answered.

Grant cheered internally before realizing he had never been on a real date before and that his only experience was from one night stands.

“Great, text me tonight, and I’ll see you tomorrow, Skye,” Grant stood up, drinking the last bit of his coffee before looking back at Skye.  
“Yeah,” Skye blushed furiously. “See you tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit longer chapter this time, sorry for taking so long to get it out. For some reason it took me a while.  
> He asked her on a date! Things are happening!


End file.
